Techniques for Checking into a Retail Establishment

ABSTRACT

Techniques for checking into a retail establishment are provided. A retailer provides a substrate having a magnetic-field encoded tag. A consumer waves the consumer&#39;s device over the tag to electronically capture the magnetic-field encoded tag. The consumer&#39;s device is used to communicate the tag to a retailer to validate that the consumer is physically present and now checked into the retail establishment of the retailer.

BACKGROUND

Automation for goods and services has reached record levels in society.Examples are everywhere from online banking and purchasing to awide-range of devices and physical appliances that include computing andnetworking capabilities, which were just wishful dreams only a decadeago. For the most part, these advances have occurred because ofbreakthroughs in electronics and wireless communications, which haveallowed complex processing and network connectivity to be achieved inthe smallest of physical devices, such as a smart phone or otherhandheld computing devices, for relatively small cost and effort.

In addition, many retailers now gear services and promotions towardthese devices for purposes of interacting with, attracting, and keepingcustomers at the retailer.

Many programs such as: promotions, specials, and loyalty servers atretailers (restaurants, etc.) rely on a means of knowing with certaintythat a given consumer is at a given location. Consumers can “check-in”with merchants via smart phones but this often requires validation by ahuman waiter or long delays while Global Positioning Satellite(GPS_solutions narrow in on a reading of sufficient accuracy todetermine that the consumer is in fact in the correct location.

Furthermore, additional interaction of the future is going to be drivenbetween the merchant and the consumer in situations where the consumer'smobile device is allowed to perform commercial activities related to themerchant's premises where they are physically located. In suchsituations, it is necessary for the consumer's mobile device to providespecific location information related to the merchant check-in so thathe/she can be uniquely identified within the merchant's system. Forexample, a diner at a restaurant needs to have his/her phone linked witha specific table where he/she is eating if he/she is going to haveinformation that is specific to his/her own transaction on his/herphone.

In fact, many techniques allow the consumer to check-in to a retailer'splace of business. One example is a simple free (honor) check-in wherethe consumer says he/she is present, but this is not secure or reliableand is prone to fraud. Another means is for the consumer to “bump”his/her mobile device against another mobile device so thataccelerometers in both devices can synchronize and establish co-locationat a given time. But this approach involves physically assaulting yourdevice, which is an expensive add-on to a typical smart phone and whichcould cause damage to the smart phone.

Another possibility is scanning of a Quick Response (QR) tag or barcodeusing the mobile phone's camera but this can be slow and frustrating toconsumers. Moreover, pictures of barcodes or QR codes can be captured aselectronic images and used for fraudulent check-in when a consumer isnot actually present at a retailer's location.

As mentioned above, GPS is another means for self-check-in, but itsuffers from local black-spots, slow settling times, and incorrectreadings.

Third parties like ShopKick™ provide audio solutions for self-check-inbut this solution requires expensive hardware installations to sourcethe background sounds and has limited accuracy (spatial resolution).

Still another self-check-in mechanism uses Near Field Communication(NFC) tags, but this requires specialized NFC hardware in the consumer'ssmartphone.

One can see that as retailers desire more and more interaction withtheir consumers, the need for validating a real consumer is present ontheir premises is of paramount concern. Furthermore, the existingapproaches in the industry are: prone to fraud, too expensive, and/ortoo inaccurate at present for any widespread adoption to take place inthe industry.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, techniques for checking into a retailestablishment are presented. According to an embodiment, a method forconsumer retail check-in is provided.

Specifically, a code is received from a mobile device of a consumer; thecode is acquired at a retail location of a retailer as a magnetic-fieldencoded tag that the mobile device is waved over to acquire. Next, aconsumer identifier for the consumer is identified and the code isassociated with the retail location of the retailer. Finally, theretailer is notified that the consumer is checked-in to the retaillocation of the retailer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a method for consumer retail check-in, accordingto an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of another method for consumer retail check-in,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a retail check-in apparatus, according to anexample embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a method 100 for consumer retail check-in,according to an example embodiment. The method 100 (hereinafter“check-in manager”) is implemented as instructions programmed andresiding on a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable)storage medium and executed by one or more processors. The processorsare specifically configured and programmed to process the check-inmanager. The check-in manager operates over a network. The network iswired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless.

In an embodiment, the check-in manager processes on processors of aserver of cloud processing environment. In some instances, the check-inmanager processes on a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal of a retailer (suchas a restaurant). The POS terminal can be, in some embodiments, a thinclient that interacts with a remote server having the check-in manager.Moreover, the check-in manager can process on a Virtual Machine (VM)where the underlying physical processing environment and physicalprocessors can vary depending upon the installation of the VM.

As used herein a “magnetic tag” refers to a series of alternatingmagnetic orientations and/or strengths that, in one embodiment, arearranged in strips of material (such as tape, etc.) in a unique patternfor a specific location of a specific retailer. Each magnetic tag'sunique pattern of orientations and strengths is assigned via a mapping(maintained by one or more electronic services/databases) to thespecific location of the specific retailer. In some instances, themagnetic tag can be assembled from separate strips of tape arranged in aparticular sequence and/or series.

In some embodiments, the magnetic tag or magnetic-field tag can begenerated via an electromagnet within a processor, which is thenprogrammed to emulate and produce the series of aligned North/Southmagnetic orientations and/or strengths. Here, a mobile device of aconsumer can be held over such process device (can be a Universal SerialBus (USB) electromagnet) to capture the magnetic tag (magnetic-fieldtag). The emulated magnetic tag can be transmitted wirelessly via abroadcast and picked up by consumer mobile devices. In another case, avibrator feature of a mobile device (can be a phone) is used to generatethe magnetic tag that another consumer's mobile device picks up via itscompass or processor-embedded magnetometer.

Moreover, as used herein the phrases “handheld device,” “portabledevice,” and/or “mobile device” may be used interchangeably andsynonymously. These devices refer to a processing device having networkcapabilities and have a magnetometer or compass integrated therein. Inan embodiment, these devices refer to a consumer's smart phone or atablet device.

Most consumers have the capability on existing smart phones and tabletsto use a compass in the device. These consumer devices have amagnetometer embedded within them that measure the earth's magneticfield and are very inexpensive. Magnetometers are widely used as metaldetectors as well.

The techniques herein provide a user friendly mechanism for consumers to“check-in” to a location, such as a physical location of a retailer. Asstated above, most smart phones include compass or magnetometer hardwarecapabilities. This capability is used to automate the entry ofinformation into the phone for use in situations like a location“check-in.” To do this, a series of magnetic strips with alternatingorientations and/or strengths are placed in a row and the phone (type ofconsumer mobile device) is moved in a swiping gesture over them.Alternatively, a retail device emulates the magnetic tag, via broadcastor via vibration as discussed above. Each unique pattern of magneticstrips encodes a different location (or a different reference to alocation which is mapped via a database). These magnetic stripcombinations can be provided as a pre-packaged adhesive identifier,which is simply placed anywhere that a check-in point is needed by aretailer (when the embodiment for the tag is a strip and not emulatedfrom an electromagnet as discussed above).

As used herein “retailer” can refer to anyone that is conductingbusiness in some manner. So, in this sense it can be two friendsconducting a transaction, such as to determine who at a party is checkedin to the party. Furthermore, the “retailer” can be any organizationconducting a transaction, such as universities, government, and thelike.

So, a unique magnetic-field Identifier (ID) is established for a givenretail location that needs to be identified in an automated check-inprocess. This ID is translated into a coding scheme like a barcode3-of-9 or simple binary code with check sums. This coding is then usedto fabricate an adhesive sticker (or other substrates) using magneticmaterials, such as are commonly used in marketing/promotional magnets.The coding takes place by alternating orientations of the North/Southmagnets and/or by having alternating magnetic strengths. The adhesivesticker is then provided to the retail location, which needs to acceptcheck-ins. In other cases, the coding is emulated from devices at theretailer's location using vibration or programmed electromagnets asdiscussed above.

Consumers entering the location view the sticker and identify that it isa check-in point. They start the check-in app (described below withreference to the FIG. 2) and waive their phone along the check-insticker. In some cases, the consumers receive a broadcast of the tag viaa programmed electromagnet as discussed above. The smartphone detectsthe variable magnetic field and decodes the stored unique ID. Thesmartphone then cross-references the ID (against a local and/or remotedatabase (using a network connection)) to determine a physical locationfor a particular retailer. This may also provide a specific website backto the check-in app for the consumer to send the ID to confirm with thatretailer that the consumer is physically present at the retail locationand checked-in.

Again it is noted that the techniques provided herein, do not requirenew hardware features in consumer mobile devices as smartphones alreadyinclude a required magnetic field reader; thus, an inexpensive automatedcheck-in process that is user-friendly, inexpensive, fast, and thatutilizes a flexible encoding scheme are achieved with the teachingsherein and below.

At 110, the check-in manager receives a code from a mobile device of aconsumer. The code is acquired at a retail location of a retailer as amagnetic-field encoded tag that the mobile device is waved or held overto acquire. The magnetic readings based on the North and Southorientations or strength of the magnetic-field encoded tag is capturedon the mobile device as the code when the mobile device is waved or heldover the tag. In some cases, the magnetic-field encoded tag is embeddedin a tape or other substrate affixed to an object at the retaillocation. In other cases, the magnetic-field encoded tag is broadcastfrom a device at the retail location that uses a programed electromagnetto produce the magnetic-filed encoded tag.

According to an embodiment, at 111, the check-in manager acquires thecode as digital data that a check-in app (described below with referenceto the FIG. 2) on the mobile device decodes from the magnetic-fieldencoded tag. The magnetic readings are converted or translated todigital data or information.

In an embodiment, at 112, the check-in manager identifies the mobiledevice by a mobile device identifier received with the code. That is,the mobile device is identified by its mobile device identifier when themobile device sends to the check-in manager the code.

At 120, the check-in manager identifies a consumer identifier for aconsumer. This can be achieved in a variety of manners.

For example, at 121, the check-in manager looks up the mobile deviceidentifier to obtain the consumer identifier. The mobile deviceidentifier is assigned to the mobile device when the consumer registersthe mobile device or downloads the check-in app to the mobile device forinstallation.

In another case, at 122, the check-in manager prompts the consumer via acheck-in app on the mobile device to provide the consumer identifier viaa login process or a registration process.

At 130, the check-in manager associates the code with the retaillocation of the retailer. Again, this can occur in a variety of ways.

For example, at 131, the check-in manager consults a third-party serviceto provide the association based on the code.

In another case, at 132, the check-in manager obtains the associationfrom information decrypted in the code. That is, the magnetized tag canbe an encryption for actual information that the check-in managerdecodes via a known decryption key.

In an embodiment, at 133, the check-in manager obtaining the associationfrom a database. The database may be local to the processing environmentof the check-in manager or remove form the processing environment of thecheck-in manager.

At 140, the check-in manager notifies the retailer that the consumer ischecked-in to the retail location of the retailer.

According to an embodiment, at 141, the check-in manager sends an alertto a POS device of the retailer indicating that the consumer haschecked-in to the retail location. The POS device can be a terminal orserver or even a portable handheld device of the retailer. Moreover, thealert can be sent to multiple POS devices within the retail locationsimultaneously. In fact, the retailer may even have a display monitorindicating who has checked in and in such a case the notification can beused to update the display that is in view for all to see including theconsumer that is checked-in.

Continuing with the embodiment of 141 and at 142, the check-in managerprovides registered preferences of the consumer to the retailer with thealert. Here, it may be that the check-in manager is a third-partyservice to the retailer and not part of the retailer's in-house systemsand in such a situation, the consumer may have preferences for productsor services of the retailer that the check-in manager communicates withthe alert to the retailer.

In an embodiment, at 142, the check-in manager sends an instruction to aretailer service to automatically assign the consumer a table at theretailer, which is a restaurant, or place the consumer in a queue forthe table. In this embodiment as well, the retailer may display thisinformation and the queue on a common display that the consumer can see.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of another method 200 for consumer retail check-in,according to an example embodiment. The method 200 (hereinafter“check-in app”) is implemented as instruction and programmed within anon-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable) storage mediumthat executes on one or more processors of a handheld device; theprocessors of the handheld device are specifically configured to executethe check-in app. The check-in app is operational over a network; thenetwork is wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless.

Whereas the check-in manager (the FIG. 1 above) describes processingassociated with check-in processing from one or more devices controlledby or accessible to a retailer, the check-in app describes processingassociated with retail check-in from the perspective of a consumer'sdevice for a consumer checking into the retailer.

At 210, the check-in app reads a magnetic-field encoded tag.

According to an embodiment, at 211, the check-in app obtains themagnetic-field encoded tag when the consumer waves the mobile deviceover the magnetic-field encoded tag affixed to an object at the retaillocation of the retailer. In another case, the check-in app obtains themagnetic-field encoded tag as a broadcast from a device of the retailerthat produces the tag via a programmed electromagnet.

At 220, the check-in app converts the magnetic-field encoded tag into atag identifier.

In an embodiment, at 221, the check-in app decrypts the tag identifierto acquire a link to the check-in manager (such as the check-in managerdiscussed above with reference to the FIG. 1).

In still another case, at 222, the check-in app accesses a database thatis local to the mobile device (that processes the check-in app) toacquire the tag identifier using the magnetic-field encoded tag. The tagidentifier associated with the retailer or a specific location of theretailer.

In yet another situation, at 223, the check-in app accesses the check-inmanager with the magnetic-field encoded tag to convert themagnetic-field encoded tag to the tag identifier.

At 230, the check-in app sends the tag identifier to the check-inmanager (FIG. 1) that is associated with the tag identifier. This isdone to automatically check-in a consumer at a retail location of aretailer. The consumer identified by the mobile device that processesthe check-in app and that sends the tag identifier.

According to an embodiment, at 231, the check-in app identifies thecheck-in manager based on the tag identifier.

In another case, at 232, the check-in app uses a preconfigured link toidentify the check-in manager.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a retail check-in apparatus 300, according to anexample embodiment.

The retail check-in apparatus 300 includes a magnetic-field encoded tag301. The magnetic-field encoded tag 301 comprises a predefined sequenceor series of North and South magnets having varying degrees oforientation and/or strengths, the magnetic-field encoded tag 301providing a unique identifier that is associated with a physicallocation of a particular retailer.

In another case, the retail check-in apparatus 300 includes a processorhaving memory that is programmed with the magnetic-filed encoded tag andthat transmits the predefined sequence or series of North and Southmagnetic information having varying degrees of orientation and/orstrengths, the magnetic-field encoded tag 301 providing the uniqueidentifier that is associated with a physical location of a particularretailer. In one case of this embodiment, the processor is embedded in aUSB device. In another case, the processor is embedded in a mobiledevice, such as a phone or a tablet.

According to an embodiment, the magnetic-field encoded tag 301 isembedded in a substrate that is affixed to an object located at thephysical location of the particular retailer. In one case, the substrateis magnetic tape.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many otherembodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b) and willallow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of thetechnical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that itwill not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of theclaims.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features aregrouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than areexpressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claimsreflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of asingle disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are herebyincorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment.

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A processor-implemented method programmed in memoryor a non-transitory processor-readable medium and to execute on one ormore processors of a handheld device configured to execute the method,comprising: reading, by the handheld device, a magnetic-field encodedtag; converting, by the handheld device, the magnetic-filed encoded taginto a tag identifier; and sending, by the handheld device, the tagidentifier to a check-in manager associated with the tag identifier toautomatically check-in a consumer at a retail location of a retailer.13. The method of claim 12, wherein reading further includes obtainingthe magnetic-field encoded tag when the consumer waves the mobile deviceover the magnetic-field encoded tag affixed to an object at the retaillocation of the retailer.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein convertingfurther includes decrypting the tag identifier to acquire a link to thecheck-in manager.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein converting furtherincludes accessing a database local to the mobile device to acquire thetag identifier using the magnetic-filed encoded tag.
 16. The method ofclaim 12, wherein converting further includes accessing the check-inmanager with the magnetic-filed encoded tag to convert themagnetic-filed encoded tag to the tag identifier.
 17. The method ofclaim 12, wherein sending further includes identifying the check-inmanager based on the tag identifier.
 18. The method of claim 12, whereinsending further includes using a preconfigured link to identify thecheck-in manager. 19-20. (canceled)